Gifts We Love

If given the choice, I’ll take jolie laide over cute any day, which is why I love Hansa stuffed animals. My son has the baby emu, owl, and baby boar—they were gifts from my mother-in-law, who was inspired by the adorably ugly baby animal photos by Sharon Montrose that are hanging in his bedroom—and, though they look a little sinister, he likes them better than any of the sweeter, softer cuddlier stuffed animals in his collection. Now, I’m coveting a hen and rooster, which look so real they’re almost like taxidermy.